President Obama signed into law, the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. This historic legislation marked the most comprehensive changes to the school nutrition environment in more than a generation. The last update to school meal standards was over 15 years ago. Since that time, tremendous advancements in our understanding of human nutrition have occurred. In response to that reality, the HHFKA required USDA to update school meal nutrition standards to reflect the most current dietary science.

Here at Woodmore, we have put into place a Wellness Program. Several more changes will need to be phased in, beginning in the 2012-2013 school year, with both breakfast and lunch programs. We are required to serve whole-grain bread items, more fruit, adding fresh several days a week, and vegetables, fresh several times, and adding more dark greens, red-orange, dry beans/peas, starchy, and “other” vegetables. We are going to be offering breakfast at the high school effective the 2012-2013 school year.

With all these new changes and additions to our lunch program, I feel we need to increase lunch prices, beginning next school year to the following:

Elementary to $2.50

Middle School/High School to $2.75

Breakfast at the elementary will remain the same at $1.60 and implement breakfast at the Middle/High School at $1.60.

Adding fresh fruits and fresh vegetables to the menu will increase our cost to lunches, thus the increase in meal prices.